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Catastrophe – Manuscript

Synopsis

Un-athletic science whiz Toby tries to acquire his agile cat’s DNA so he can join the varsity football team and impress his father, the head coach. But the experiment goes wrong – he and his cat switch bodies! Now Toby must switch back before it is too late AND win the big game for his dad.

Dove Review

A fifteen-year-old science genius named Toby tries to mix his DNA with that of Einstein, the family cat. But when the experiment goes awry, Toby is trapped in Einstein’s body, and Einstein in Toby’s. To make matters worse, the equipment that made the experiment possible is now wrecked, and Toby and Einstein only have six days to switch back, or they will be trapped in each other’s bodies forever.

Obviously, this is not one for the grown-ups. But young kids might find this story enjoyable if made into a movie. As an adult with a basic high school science background, I had a hard time buying into the whole DNA-switch scenario, which seemed totally unbelievable. But to a kid, this could be amusing and comical. However, “The Shaggy Dog” is a film with a similar premise that has already been made, and re-made. So I’m not sure this manuscript is completely original in its basic idea.

“Catastrophe” is fairly lighthearted, yet touches on some serious issues such as fitting in with peers, being yourself, and a father loving and respecting his son, even though he has different interests than his own.

Content Description

Sex: It is implied that the family cat is a bit of a playboy, visiting many different female cats in the neighborhood; boy-as-cat jumps out the window in response to the calls of a female cat, and wakes up next to her the next morning; brief kiss between teen boy and girl.

Other: Fifteen-year-old without a driver’s license borrows his older brother’s car without permission. A minor collision results, and the teen drives away from the scene of the accident without any consequences for his actions.

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